CCISD holding public hearing on proposed budget and tax rate tonight

By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Independent School District Board of Trustees will be holding a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate for 2021-2022 tonight starting at 6 p.m. in the Boardroom at the District Administration Building at 408 S. Main St. 
Staff will present the proposed budget and tax rate to the board, who will then open the floor for public comment. 
Following the public hearing, the board of trustees will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m., during which it will take a vote on the proposed tax rate as well as the budget for 2021-2022. 
The current total tax rate for CCISD is $1.12865 per $100 valuation. This amount is made up of the Maintenance and Operations Tax Rate (M&O) and the Interest and Sinking Tax Rate (I&S). The M&O tax rate is $1.05235 per $100 valuation, while the I&S tax rate is $0.07630 per $100 valuation. 
The proposed tax rate for 2021-2022, based on the final certified property values, is 96.965 cents per $100 valuation for maintenance and operations, and 7.127 cents per $100 valuation for the district’s debt service (interest and sinking), for a total proposed tax rate of $1.04092 per $100 valuation. 
The voter-approval tax rate, which is the highest tax rate that the district could adopt before triggering an election, is $1.04232 per $100 valuation. 
With the proposed tax rate being lower than the voter approval rate, if the board approves the recommended rate, no election is required. 
The board will also take action on the proposed budget for the district’s Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget as well as the proposed tax rate for Fiscal wYear 2021-2022.
The total anticipated revenue for the General Operating Fund for 2021-2022 is $77,960,994. This includes $16,291,185 in Maintenance and Operation tax funding, $60,734,211 in State Aid, $335,598 in other local revenue and $600,000 in Federal Revenue (SHARS, Impact Aid).  The Debt Service Fund revenue totals $1,779,731, with $1,047,727 coming from I&S taxes and the remaining from State Aid. 
The Child Nutrition Services Fund, which is its own separate fund, has revenues of $4,393,335, with $18,500 coming from State Aid, $82,200 coming from other local revenue and the remaining $4,292,635 coming from Federal Revenue. 
The proposed expenditures/appropriations in the General Operating Fund total $77,960,994, with   $44,267,452 budgeted for Instructional, which includes teacher salaries. 
Compared to the proposed budget for 2020-2021, the 2021-2022 proposed budget sees a decrease in Maintenance and Operations by 8.69 percent and an increase by 0.02 percent in the Debt Service (I&S). The bond payment increased from $1,855,950 to $1,856,850, resulting in that increase. The total expenditures for the district decreased by 8.50 percent, however. 
Also at tonight’s meeting, the board will take action on the final budget amendment for Fiscal Year 2020-2021. 
This amendment increases the revenues for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 by $11,784,725, using local revenue, state revenue and federal revenue, bringing the total revenues from $72,376,958 to $84,161,683. The amendment also increases the appropriations for the 2020-2021 budget by $12,302,72, while decreasing other parts of the budget by $768,000. 
Notable increases include $3 million in Instructional and $8,122,725 under Facilities Acquisition and Construction. 
The board will take action on a resolution for the commitment of Fund Balance for Fiscal Year 2020-2021. 
As of January 2021, the district had an audited fund balance of $84,298,724.  The recommendations for allocation of the fund balance include committing $20 million to Capital Improvement Projects already under way at Mae Stevens Early Learning Academy, Martin Walker Elementary, Hettie Halstead Elementary, Williams/Ledger Elementary and Copperas Cove High School; $10 million for insurance deductibles or emergency property repairs related to possible large-scale facility damage due to wind, hail, fire, etc.; $5 million for future purchase of land for possible future expansion; and $24,298,724  committed for future facility construction or renovation. 
Another $25 million would remain unassigned in the fund balance to ensure an adequate amount of funds are available to cover up to four months of the district’s general operating expenditures in the event of a funding shortfall from the state or federal government.  
The board will also take action to accept the certification of unopposed candidates for the Nov. 2 board of trustees election. Inez Faison, Place 1, and Shameria Ann Davis, Place 2, are running unopposed for reelection, with no write-in candidates having filed. 
With this certification, the board can then take action on approving an order canceling the election and declaring Faison and Davis as elected.